Finding the balance between SPFL survival and running your own business would seem like a daunting prospect for many, however Stranraer manager Scott Agnew is loving the demands as he continues to progress both on and off the pitch.
PFA Scotland member, Agnew, is 18 months into his first role in management and is looking ahead to a brand new season after beating the drop with late play-off drama in May.
“It was amazing. There was a lot of pressure on the games and the outcomes weren’t even thinking about but the players turned up when it mattered and done the job.”
The aim for Stranraer is to climb up the table this coming season and Agnew believes the squad is coming together in order to do that. Whilst he sets his goals for another year in League Two, Agnew continues to develop his own business, the Fitness Group, which works with PFA Scotland to help members progress into careers within the fitness industry.
The Fitness Group is an industry leading fitness educator and focuses on a range of opportunities in personal training, tutoring, sports massage and much more. Agnew talks us through his journey in building the business.
“We opened up the gym about 8 years ago here in Glasgow and it quickly developed in to an education centre for our clients. We are now all across the UK and supporting hundreds in their own journey – it’s amazing.
During my playing days, I flitted between part-time and full-time contracts and I felt I needed to supplement that with something else and fitness fits naturally for a lot of footballers. I done my PT course through PFA Scotland and that opened a lot of doors for me.”
It is a well-trodden path, given the skillset that many players develop throughout their careers. Many players have the foundational skills to progress in the fitness industry and Agnew highlights the potential that many members look to unlock.
“I don’t like to think of PT and working in gyms as a short-term fix. There’s a whole journey you can do in fitness and it can be very exciting. The demand is there and the income you can get is a lot more than what it used to be.
I love working with the PFA Scotland members and I always go out my way to help them out when I can. At the Fitness Group, there are a lot of ways you can learn. In-person, online or a blended learning depending on what your situation is. We have hubs here in Glasgow and Edinburgh and there is a lot of support. You can do theory from home and come in and see us for the practical element.”
Progressing into a position where he is supporting people on and off the park, Agnew relishes the opportunity and finds similarities between both sides of his work.
“With both roles, I am managing people in different ways. There may be different demands but I feel like I’ve been used to the skillset and I enjoy it. I enjoy sitting down and looking for ways to help people. Both roles align quite nicely.”
With opportunities for PFA Scotland members all year round, with the chance to further their education or upskill in a number of new areas. Agnew feels like there is a lot more appetite to do that now and that can only be a good thing.
“I think 20 years ago, it was probably frowned upon to do something alongside your football. That’s now the case now and I think that it’s never too early to think about what’s next. I can only speak from my personal experience but when I started to do things outside my part-time and full-time contracts, my football actually progressed. I felt more intelligent and more focused, it also helped take a bit of pressure off.”
For members interested in learning more about opportunities with Scott at the Fitness Group or more generally with education and what we can offer, get in touch with Chris Higgins or Heather Richards to learn more.
